Coleraine re-sign striker McGonigle from Derry City

Jamie McGonigle makes the short journey from Derry City to Coleraine

Coleraine have re-signed striker Jamie McGonigle from Derry City on a three-and-a-half year deal.

Prior to his time at Seaview, the 27-year-old was a key player for Coleraine between 2014 and 2019.

"We said it in the summer that we need to add more goals and Jamie certainly has the pedigree to do that," said Bannsiders boss Oran Kearney.

The former Northern Ireland Under-21 international scored 26 goals in 86 appearances for Derry, including one in their FAI Cup final win in November 2022.

He performed strongly in the 2022 season, scoring 15 times, but found himself in and out of the team during the 2023 campaign.

McGonigle was a part of the Coleraine team which won the Irish Cup in 2018 and he was named in the NIFWA Team of the Year in that very same campaign.

The forward's return - he scored 65 times in 179 games in his first Coleraine spell - continues a busy start to the January transfer window for the Showgrounds club after the arrival of ex-Linfield player Jack Scott on New Year's Day.

Coleraine host Cliftonville in the Irish Cup fifth round on Friday on the back of four successive defeats, which has increased pressure on boss Oran Kearney.

"We have spoken quite a bit about how the injury to Matthew Shevlin has hurt us in terms of scoring goals this season," Kearney told the club website.

"We're creating chances at present and it's important we start putting the ball into the back of the net which Jamie can do.

"Jamie was eager to come back to the club when we expressed our interest and that was really refreshing."